Mangoma’s trial resumes

million litres of diesel from NOOA Petroleum of South Africa without going to tender resumed yesterday with the State’s last witness giving evidence.
State Procurement Board executive chairman Mr Charles Kuwaza took to the witness stand and outlined the relevant stages involved in a tender process.
Mr Kuwaza told the court that the last list of fuel suppliers was gazetted in 2004 and from then onwards nothing was gazetted.
He said Noczim was responsible for the gazetting all amendments to the 2004 list, but no changes yet had been published in the Government Gazette.
Mr Kuwaza said he was only aware of a fuel procurement committee set in 2004 that comprised of officials from Noczim and those from the private sector.
He denied knowing a Noczim internal fuel procurement committee that was reportedly handling procurement issues at PetroTrade.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Mrs Beatrice Mtetwa, Mr Kuwaza said he was not aware of the new procurement entity called PetroTrade until the Mangoma trial commenced.
He said he got to know about the company through the press when Mangoma was arrested and that prior to that he was only aware of Noczim.
Mr Kuwaza said it was an obligation under the Procurement Act that all additional suppliers should be gazetted.
The 2004 gazetted list had 15 companies while the approved list relied upon by Noczim had 25 firms.
Ten of the companies on the approved list were not gazetted.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu will today hear arguments on the State’s application to amend the charge sheet and to strike out the gazetted list of local fuel suppliers that was annexed to the charge sheet.
The State would close its case after determination of the amendment application.